Why Funding Indigenous-led Conservation Is Essential for Our Planet’s Future

Biodiversity — the vast web of life that sustains our planet — is in crisis. Species are disappearing at unprecedented rates, ecosystems are collapsing, and climate change is driving food insecurity worldwide. Yet Indigenous lands, where biodiversity thrives, continue to be deforested, degraded, and encroached on by industries such as mining and logging that prioritize maximizing profits over the planet’s health.

Indigenous communities make up just 6% of the global population, yet they’re responsible for safeguarding more than 80% of Earth’s remaining biodiversity. That’s not a coincidence — it’s the result of centuries of traditional knowledge, sustainable land management, and deep cultural ties to the land.

But despite their critical role in protecting the planet, Indigenous communities receive less than 1% of global climate finance. If we’re serious about addressing the climate and biodiversity crises, that must change.